Why I Dare

DARING is searching. Who am I? What makes me get out of bed in the morning? How am I unique in this world? Where do I fit in? Am I really living my life to the fullest? Am I pursuing my passions? Am I reaching my potential? How do I measure myself?

How can you notDARE to push yourself in your life. DARING is not about intentionally risking your life, but it is about taking a chance to go forward and of course risk failure. It is about saying ‘Hey, this appeals to me, this feels right, this excites my passions, I want to do what they are doing, I am going to ‘go for it’. And by plunging and taking 2 big steps at a time I may falter, hit the dust, embarrass myself. So what, if I get dusty I’ll brush it off, if I tear my shirt I’ll buy another one, if I bruise my ego I’ll get over it, but I will not take no for an answer. I just need to practice my skills, learn more because I know I can do it…

DARINGis a lifestyle. A kid gets on a team to play a sport, compete in a spelling contest, build a science project. The options available are to be: ordinary, pretty good or great. It comes down to energy in and results out. The more practice, determination, passion and desire equals your level. Your level equals your daring and your daring equals how you will measure yourself. Go up the ladder of life to your education, profession, personal life, quality of life, and on and on… How passionate are you in your choices and are you willing to be the best that you can be. Measuring yourself is not a competitive thing like being the best in the world, better than the other guy, it is about knowing you gave it your all. It is about the richness of pushing your strengths of character. What more do you have but the unique and richness of your own special individual character. Without daring you can never develop the tools to explore your inner fortitude. DARING should be lifestyle and the more it becomes an integral part of your life the more easy it is to live your life reaching your potential and knowing who you are.

DARINGas lifestyle means being inspired to poke yourself daily for all sizes of challenges and pursuits. Pushing yourself to train 3 or 4 times a week, studying longer to get higher results, eating healthy and being positive. Being fit opens up a broad spectrum of doors where climbing a small mountain can lead to climbing Mount Everest. Body and mind are forever linked I believe, being fit, being positive, being sound. We choose. Building a business, a practice, a profession, a trade requires pushing yourself to make it work, to make it the best you can make it be. Why would anyone want to settle for less? It does not have to be the best in the world. It has to be the best from you.

IDARE because that is who I am, that is who I have always been, and that is who I always want to be. When I travelled for 6 years in my 20’s around the world, I rode 3rd class rail in India, hiked alone in the Himalayas for 32 days, hung out in Afghanistan, lived in caves in Morocco, painted art in Paris and Amsterdam, drove hippies around Europe in my 41 seater Bedford Duple coach called the Blue Goose. Back in Canada I poured everything I had into my artwork in the 70’s and early 80’s. I built a real estate business in Montreal from scratch without experience starting in 1983. I took up windsurfing, skiing, mountain biking and finally mountaineering and gave it all I had. I am not the greatest at any of those sports or endeavors, but I am pretty much as good as I can be. I would love to be the absolute best in the world of course, but I am proud to have reached the level I did achieve. And my wish list of new challenges is still very long. DARE – Discover what you are made of!